I’ve debated about whether or not to actually publish this post and I will probably pull it down in a few days. I’m not entirely comfortable having it up. But…so often lately I’ve heard “it’s just not worth it” in regards to couponing. So naysayers………this is for you.

Let me preface these photos with building a stockpile takes time. It took me several months to get this to where it is, but now maintaining it is pretty easy. Hotcouponworld has great information on getting started.

First, you have to have access to multiple coupons (preferably free, I would never pay for coupons). Then you just start with one item. If there’s a deal on cereal that we like, I max out on it. I have stockpile prices in my head when I shop.
For instance, $0.50 or less per box, I max out on it, buy as many boxes as I have coupons for or have storage space for.
$0.75-$1.00, I get a few if we need it and it’s a brand we like.
Any more than $1 per box, I only purchase if we absolutely need it, and only buy enough for a week or two and wait for another deal.
I have prices like that in my head for just about every commodity. It is fun and frustrating at the same time. I had dozens of boxes of Green Giant frozen veggies, because they were only $0.25 a box. Now I’m down to about 6 boxes and have not found a deal on them in almost a year. They’re our favorite brand, and I just can’t bring myself to pay $2 a box because *I know* that I can get them for a quarter. So you sort of get spoiled.

But once I’ve maxed out on a good deal, I have time to sit around & wait for another good deal on that commodity.

After that, you just stockpile items as they become available to you, and other items, only buy what you need to get by for a week or two and wait for a deal. It takes time and it takes patience. But once you have a stockpile you can start living off of, that is when you really start to see savings in your grocery bill. At this point, the only thing we really ever pay for full price is produce, milk, eggs, lunch meat, seafood. Pretty much every other item is stockpiled in our house.

Bottom of my pantry. Pepsi products were $1 per 12 pack. Oil was about $0.85 (just got that last week). Tin of EVOO was $10. Everything else-V8, granola bars, Pam, Cheerios, pedialyte, juice….all free.

Our pantry is about 3 feet deep. It used to be a coat closet, but when we remodeled we changed the floor plan a bit, and since this particular closet was right next to the kitchen, we made it into a storage pantry. Plus, my kitchen cabinets are usually busting at the seams, I needed the space!
Let’s see, looking at that assortment of stuff….Ragu was all free, so was the mustard, tuna, pasta. Tea was $0.20 a box, tea mix was free. Barbecue sauces and marinades were all free.

Bottom of linen closet. Bin on left-full of razors and blades. Middle bin-full of batteries. Bin on right-full of toothbrushes. Bag-full of razors. Yep, all free.

My laundry detergent collection. Yep, all free. Gain was $1 or $2 a box. Bounce was $0.50–just got that yesterday.

Side view of basement stockpile. Blue bin is dog food. Yeah, we pay for that, haven’t figured out how to get it for free yet. Though I do use coupons and do rebates. Everything else pictured was free or close to it. Mac & cheese was $0.08 a box I think. Capri Suns were about the same, $0.08 a box.

Storage units in basement. Front view of previous picture. Looking at that assortment of stuff, I know I paid $0.14 for the tubs of wipes, about $2-3 for the Bounty (all total, not each), $3 per can of formula, and I can honestly say the rest of it was free. All coupons and rewards program stuff.

Another storage shelf in basement. All of that stuff on there–didn’t pay for any of it. Seriously. Not pictured: you can’t see inside my white chest freezer that’s right there, but it’s packed, all with free or almost free stuff. All was purchased with coupons and rewards earned at stores.

This is my size 3 stash for Brian. Not pictured: all the size 6s I have stashed for Kevin, and all the 4s for Brian. I haven’t paid for diapers in 2 years, and have never paid for any diapers for Brian. That’s my goal–to not pay for his, ever
!

Lots not pictured, I mean, I don’t want you all to think I’m nuts. But it’s probably too late for that anyway. Our bathroom vanities have tons of stuff in them, so does baby changing table, kitchen cabinets, refrigerator & freezer.